House Resolution 38 - Introduced HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 38 BY BERRY and H. MILLER A Resolution memorializing and honoring the 1 contributions and legacy of Dr. Walter James Riley. 2 WHEREAS, Dr. Walter James Riley was born in Milan, 3 Georgia, on March 6, 1938, graduated as valedictorian 4 of Milan High School, completed his undergraduate 5 degree at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, 6 Georgia, with honors in three years in 1959, and 7 graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, 8 Tennessee, in 1964; and 9 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley served his internship in 10 Pottsville, Pennsylvania, enlisted in the United States 11 Air Force and completed a general medicine residency 12 at Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio, 13 and a residency in general surgery at the Veterans 14 Administration Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, and at the 15 University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1970; and 16 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was board-certified in general 17 surgery and practiced as Walter James Riley, M.D., 18 P.C., for 45 years in Des Moines, Iowa; and 19 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was an associate professor at the 20 University of Iowa Department of Surgery, associate 21 professor at the Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine 22 Residency Program, and associate professor at Des 23 Moines University School of Osteopathic Medicine; and 24 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was chief of surgery at Iowa 25 Lutheran Hospital and at Mercy Medical Center in Des 26 Moines during his career; and 27 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was a member of the American 28 -1- LSB 2647YH (5) 86 av/rj 1/ 2
H.R. 38 College of Surgeons, and a life member of the National 1 Alumni Association of Meharry Medical College; and 2 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was an active member of 3 Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines and was a 4 philanthropist who gave generous donations to his 5 church, and to civic organizations, universities, 6 schools, and resident physicians, endowing several 7 scholarships for aspiring students; and 8 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley received numerous awards for 9 professional excellence from various governing bodies 10 of medicine including the “ACE” (Always Committed 11 to Excellence) Award from Iowa Health System in 2011 12 before retiring to Nashville with his wife and family 13 in May 2011; and 14 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was married to his loving wife 15 Carolyn for 53 years, and was the father of daughters 16 Arlita, Janice, Angela, and Linda, and son Walter II, 17 as well as a grandfather and great-grandfather; and 18 WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was a magnificently kind and 19 gentle man and an accomplished surgeon who leaves 20 his family and friends with a profound and enduring 21 legacy; NOW THEREFORE, 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That 23 the House of Representatives memorializes and honors 24 the accomplishments and achievements of Dr. Riley and 25 his contributions to the citizens of the city of Des 26 Moines and of the state. 27 -2- LSB 2647YH (5) 86 av/rj 2/ 2